Oops Bent Bucket

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Well I made a mistake. Got off my tractor and forgot to put the brake on. It rolled about 30 ft., and the bucket hit a tree. As you can see from the picture, it's bent pretty good. Do you think it can be bent back to a usable state, or is a new bucket in my future? If you vote on repairing it, what type equipment will be needed to do the job? Do you have any idea of a ballpark cost to get it done?

 

[dmay]

Good thing only the bucket bent!

Sure it can be repaired. I'd say put the bucket in the back of your truck (trailer) and go visit your local auto frame repair shop for an estimate.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

That can be bent back. I don't think I would use the hydraulics to try and straighten it out. If you can get a good sized bottle jack wedged in between the top lip and the bottom edge. Maybe use a good strong piece of steel to fill the gap between the jack ram and the bucket edge. Just watch so that the jack doesn't pop out at you.
Hey at least you are alright. Getting caught between the bucket and tree would have left a real impression on you...:confused2:

 

[Adiredneck]

That can be bent back. I don't think I would use the hydraulics to try and straighten it out. If you can get a good sized bottle jack wedged in between the top lip and the bottom edge. Maybe use a good strong piece of steel to fill the gap between the jack ram and the bucket edge. Just watch so that the jack doesn't pop out at you.
Hey at least you are alright. Getting caught between the bucket and tree would have left a real impression on you...:confused2:

That's what I would do also. Maybe when you're all done, a bolt on cutting edge on the bottom would help it retain it's shape now that it has a weak spot.

 

[rjmack]

applying heat to it will help too. don't know if you have oxy/acetylene setup with a rosebud, but that would really help.

heat the bend perimeter while you are applying hydraulic pressure with the jack.:thumbsup:

 

[riptides]

Invest in a toothbar, that may save your bucket in the future.

 

[Storm56]

I would say that is repairable. If you have access to some good heavy angle to put across the top of the bucket so you do not bend it you should be able to use some jacks and straighten it out. Other option may be to come up with some kind of a jig to set it up on and then pull it. May have to drill a hole behind the wear bar edge and use some angle iron to get a bite on it.

 

[gauthier]

Better pictures at different angles would help with this internet looking. But it looks pretty bent to me,everything else alright,arms and stuff,be a shame to go to a whole mess of trouble just to find out something else is bent or damaged.

 

[schmism]

Id say you could bend it back... but rigging up the tooling to do it is probably outside what the avg person can do. I have a 20ton bottle jack but your ablity to jack the bottom down is only relative to how stiff the top is.

You may need to take it to a local frame shop/machine shop to have it straightened.

As others have said, id add a tooth bar or cutting edge or something to reinforce the bottom now that it has been bent like that. to help keep it from bending as easy next time.

 

[Kays Supply]

Worst case, you may have to cut it at the worst bend section and bend the two halfs, then weld the split back.